Grant recipients pose for a picture with members of the Heritage Classic Foundation after a charity luncheon at the Plantation Club in Sea Pines on Thursday. The money, totaling $200,000, was provided by a grant from Verizon and was distributed to a dozen area nonprofit groups at the event. Jay Karr, the Island Packet

Grant recipients pose for a picture with members of the Heritage Classic Foundation after a charity luncheon at the Plantation Club in Sea Pines on Thursday. The money, totaling $200,000, was provided by a grant from Verizon and was distributed to a dozen area nonprofit groups at the event. Jay Karr, the Island Packet

VIDEO: Heritage Classic Foundation donates $200K to charity

Twelve charities received a total of $200,000 from the Heritage Classic Foundation at a luncheon Thursday on Hilton Head Island.

The money is part of a $1.5 million grant Verizon gave in 2011 to be disbursed over three years by the foundation. Each year, $500,000 is split evenly between the Heritage Scholar Program and local nonprofit organizations that focus on education and health care.

Heritage spokeswoman Angela McSwain said an additional $50,000 will be donated to various local groups not present at the luncheon, which was held at the Plantation Club in Sea Pines.

Foundation charity committee chairman and International Tennis Hall of Fame member Stan Smith presented representatives of each nonprofit with the checks and praised their commitment to improving the community.

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"We believe each of the 12 groups is doing outstanding work," Smith said. "Each has its own story, but they all have something in common. They are all helping the most needy in the area to improve their lives."

McSwain said that each of the charities also received a grant from the foundation last year.

Heritage tournament director Steve Wilmot credited Verizon for its continued support, despite its 2009 decision to withdraw its sponsorship of the Heritage golf tournament.

"This is a relationship with Verizon that's been in the works for 26 years," Wilmot said. "For them to unfortunately step away like they did, that was just a business philosophy on their part, and had nothing to do with the foundation."

Sarah Eliasoph, National Alliance on Mental Illness director in Beaufort County, said the money she received is vital to her program.